You Can Go Home Again
by Shamrock Shannyn
Summary: Dick Grayson and Tim Drake try to set things right with the original Batman, with a little help from Terry and Ace!


Summary: Dick and Tim try to make amends with Bruce, with a little help from Terry and Ace…

Disclaimer: Batman and related characters are the properties of DC Comics. This is an original fan fiction story, not written for profit, and not intended to infringe on their copyright.

YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN

BY: Shannyn Grayson Ivy

"WARNING: INTRUDER ALERT"

Batman looked up from the microscope that he had been trying to adjust. He had been deep into dissecting a squid as make up work for his biology class. Relieved to be given a stay of execution, he quickly made a dash for the main frame of the Cray Bat Computer. Ace stood anxiously by his side; he too relieved to be given something more exciting to do than watch his master, Bruce Wayne, as he snored underneath the Batmobile while pretending to fix it.

"Computer view outside video." Batman's voice was anxious. The possibility that someone had discovered the cave seemed unlikely but just in case he reached for his mask. In the few short seconds that it took for the video to show on screen, the intruders had made their way inside. Ace stood battle ready, teeth bared. Batman glanced over to the Batmobile. No sign of Wayne. Maybe that was for the best he thought. No need to get the old man upset until he knew what was going on. All at once Ace leapt through the air and landed on someone hard.

"HEY!" Came the yelped response and Batman smiled to himself and took off his mask.

"Its okay boy let him up." Ace looked to Terry as if asking if he had heard him right.

"Let him up Ace." With a resounding grrrrrrr, Ace backed up but kept his teeth bared. Batman looked at the two shocked intruders and almost laughed.

"Computer, cancel intruder alert and video view" Batman's voice was nonchalant and the two intruders looked even more surprised than before.

"You know who we are?" The tall, slender man asked. He was close to six feet tall Terry estimated, with long white hair pulled back into a ponytail. He wore an earring stud that glistened when the light hit it. Probably a diamond chip Terry reasoned.

"If I didn't you wouldn't be in here." Batman tried to sound more confident about that fact than he actually felt.

"So, you do feed this dog don't you? He seems awfully…hungry." Quipped the second man who stood just a couple of inches shorter than the first and seemed a little younger. His hair was short with a salt and pepper look to it. He appeared to be good-natured and the more relaxed of the two.

"Occasionally, I throw him a Robin or two…"

The younger of the two visitors laughed. "I think he's got us pegged Dick."

"Figures you'd think its funny Tim, I'm the one wearing dog slobber." A not so amused Dick Grayson glared at the huge canine exposing his teeth to the dog. Tim smiled and shook his head, looking at the new Batman he added, "Those two will end up friends, they have the same mentality."

"Better not, I only stock enough Scooby snacks for one." Terry returned Tim's smile and walked back over to his microscope.

"Where is he?" Dick's voice was full of impatience and Terry knew he must be nervous. It had been a long time since either man had seen Bruce. Terry had tried to get Bruce to tell him what happened that caused the separation between them. He had been rewarded with glassware being thrown his way. He hadn't asked since.

"He's over there under the car." Terry continued to look through the microscope appearing to have no interest in the visit. He heard Dick sigh.

"Let's get this over with."

As Bruce Wayne heard their footprints approaching he tried to steady himself. Determination welled from deep inside him. He would not let them see how they had hurt him or that he was now shaking at the thought of seeing them once again. He waited until they were just in front of the car and spoke to them in a calm, even voice.

"Dick hand me that wrench on the chair, Tim pass me a hand towel. They are just behind you on the left." Tim and Dick looked to each other in disbelief. They had been gone for years and Bruce was acting like they just went out for Pizza.

"Well, hello to you too." Dick said sarcastically as he handed Bruce the requested items. Bruce reached and took them without rolling all the way out from underneath. He didn't want to look at them; or rather he didn't want them to see him. They would know how upset he was. Long minutes past by without another word. When Dick had taken all his temper could stand he motioned to Tim and the two of them proceeded to leave the cave the way they had come in. They were surprised to find themselves blocked by Batman and Ace.

"Get out of the way little bat." When Batman and Ace failed to yield, Dick added "We're out of here. It was a mistake to come here. He hasn't changed a bit!" Dick's voice boomed through the air disturbing the bats that roosted at the top of the cave.

"And... you have?" Batman knew he had a fight on his hands but he wasn't about to give up.

"What do you know about it? You're just a bratty kid. Aren't you too young to be playing at being Batman?" Tim winced at Dick's harsh words. Batman however was unimpressed.

"Aren't you a little too old for temper tantrums and running away from home?" Terry found himself looking into Dick's volcanic stare. He was glad he had put the mask back on. No way did he want Grayson to see that he could rattle him.

"Okay, this is the way this is gonna go. You two are going over there and make nice with the old man. You are NOT going to get him upset. If you do then you're dog food- got it?" Batman had used his deepest most menacing voice. He knew that they wouldn't feel threatened by him but at the same time he didn't want them to think he was a push over either.

"Got it." Tim answered quickly. He was anxious to defuse the bomb that was about to go off between the new Batman and Dick.

"Come on Bro; let's give it one more try." Tim didn't wait for an answer but instead started walking back towards the car. Dick followed reluctantly. Batman shook his head; Grayson and Wayne were A LOT alike. No wonder they didn't get along.

Tim waited for Dick to catch up with him and then tried to start the long overdue conversation.

"How have you been Bruce?" The reply was only silence. After it became almost unbearable Dick replied to his surrogate younger brother, "Told you." He turned as if to leave and Batman grabbed him by the arm.

"Wait….Please…" Dick turned back to look at him and found that Batman had taken his mask off. He was now looking at a youthful face full of pain. _This kid really cares about Bruce._ Dick removed Terry's hand from his arm but made no further attempt to leave.

Turning toward the car Terry made the decision to butt in where he probably didn't belong. He couldn't stand to see the three of them like this. Someone had to make them see.

"Losing my father taught me a few things. You never know when someone you care about is going to die or when you yourself will get your check out notice. You had better make damn sure that the ones you love know how you feel cause you very rarely get a second chance. That's what you guys have got tonight. A second chance. You are stupid if you don't take it."

Terry held his breath, waiting for Bruce to start yelling. To his astonishment the verbal bashing never came. Bruce slowly rolled out from underneath the Batmobile and stood in front of his two sons. His eyes were downcast and his shoulders slumped. He looked tired and beaten and Terry knew that tonight it had nothing to do with his advancing age. Still, though his heart was heavy, words did not come to Bruce. The silence screamed volumes and Terry once again found himself taking the lead. What the hell he thought, the old man can only kill me once…

"Do you want to tell them how you've been or should I? Should I tell them about the last time you found out that they were in town but didn't come to see you, how you took your cane and broke EVERYTHING in sight."

"Terry, that's enough!" Bruce's roaring voice filled the cave. Terry knew he should stop but for the sake of Bruce's broken heart he couldn't.

"Or should I tell them about the times that you've held their picture to you until you fell asleep…."

"**TERRENCE!" **Bruce's voice warned of danger if Terry was to continue but he couldn't let it rest, not yet anyway.

"Tell them Bruce; tell them how you've REALLY been. They want to know and more than that, they need to know."

With a heavy sigh, the aging Dark Knight leaned back and rested against the car. Might as well get this over with he thought. The kid is like a bulldog once he gets his teeth into something.

"I've been…." Silence overtook him again but with a look from Terry he continued.

"I've missed you both… very… much." Dick and Tim looked at each other. They both knew that was all they would get from Bruce. Somehow it was more than enough. Their pleased look touched Terry and he looked down at Ace and grinned.

"Our work here is done Dog Wonder, come boy. We'll leave the Scooby snacks for Grayson and I'll make you a steak."

"ROFF! ROFF!" Came the happy reply.


End file.
